by Blue Davis
“The relationship? You call this a relationship? I only saw you like five times. The rest of the time you were off doing god-knows-what!”
“Sheila. I’m sorry.” He held the phone at a distance, then reluctantly placed it back on his ear.
She was quiet. “Don’t forget I’m the only other one who knows about that thing we saw a couple months ago with your father. Do you think the rest of the Ashton family would be interested in hearing about it?”
His blood boiled as sparks of heat ignited his face and neck. How could she even think of using his father’s misdoings against his innocent family? “Are you threatening me? Because, if you so much as lift a finger to me, my brothers, or my mother, I will deal you a card you will regret for the rest of your life. Do not even think about it.”
He curled his lips in disgust and hung up the phone. Sheila was probably upset and confused. He was sorry to end so abruptly with her, but being unfaithful to her would have been even worse. On the other hand, her threatening him like that was a new low that he never fathomed anybody would be capable of. She needed to gain strength to move on and forget about him. He vowed not to lose sleep over the half-hearted threat. He just needed her out of his life now.
He himself barely understood. It wasn’t as if he was in a relationship with Lexi. Hell, he hadn’t even dated her once. He only knew that when he looked at the small creases at the edge of her lips that he had to devour them. And he didn’t want anything standing in his way when the next sudden urge arrived. His angst over Sheila faded away as Lexi approached. He drew in a breath and stood to help her with some bags.
Lexi dropped her sack on the ground and collapsed. “I’m exhausted.”
“You too?”
“Yes. I went to every shop in town looking for decent-priced sleeping bags. Couldn’t find any. Why can’t we sleep on the ground? It’s warm out. It’s not like we need to cover up.”
Surely she had thrift-shopped the whole trip. Why doesn’t she allow me to buy the supplies we need? She was the only woman he had ever known that didn’t jump at the opportunity to spend his money. It pained him, yet aroused him in a strange way. If she didn’t need his money, why had she called him? “Lexi. We can spend a couple dimes on comfort. When in doubt, throw money at it, that’s my motto.”
She curled one side of her mouth downward. “Whatever. Please tell me you have good news.”
He lifted one eyebrow. “I do have good news.”
Her eyes twinkled. She looked curious and excited. “Really? Tell me.” She placed her elbows on the table.
“I got the boat. It’ll be ready for tomorrow morning, 6 am sharp.”
She held up her arms in a victory-v shape and rocked her head back, laughing. She raised her fist and pounded into the air. “Yes! Whoop, whoop!”
“I know, I know,” James said, placing one hand on his chest, and performing a quick bow. “Easy as pie.”
Lexi’s sweet face made his unease about Sheila and his father retreat. Why think about drama when he had this cutie in front of him?
Acquiring the boat was one of the hardest tasks he’d done this year, but she didn’t need to know that. Why the hell hadn’t the boat keepers taken him seriously? He was an American man with money, dammit. He had to shell out a small fortune to rent a decent boat, but the bottom line was that he had the boat.
The waitress brought his drink out.
“And for you, Madame?”
“Just juice. Orange.”
Her juice binge was getting ridiculous. Was that seriously all she was going to drink all week long? “Wouldn’t you prefer a nice glass of wine or a sweet tropical drink? We are in the Caribbean.”
She tensed her shoulders. “No thank you, James. I’m happy with juice,” she said, nodding at the server.
He raised an eyebrow. “You gotta learn how to relax.”
She leaned in to him. “I’ll relax when I have gold coins seeping from my hands,” she whispered.
He placed his elbows on the table and gulped his drink. “Don’t you work too hard?”
She pouted her sexy mouth. “Do you work hard enough?”
“One thing you neglected to mention on the phone was that Strife is in the middle of shark-infested waters.”
She spread her palms out. “Why would that matter? We won’t be in the water. We’ll be on the island, looking for the one thing you came out here for, my dear James.”
Chapter 5
Lexi
She trekked past James in the lobby at 5:30 the next morning and plopped into a chair. She begged the grogginess to go away.
He raised one eyebrow and let out a long whistle. “Those shorts couldn’t get any shorter.”
Lexi froze. A flush spread across her cheeks. He’d noticed her decision to wear the skimpiest outfit in her pack. “I’m trying to stay cool for the hot journey to Strife.”
“Sure you are.” He tilted his head and continued to meander down her thighs and calves.
A lightness rose to her head as she partially covered her legs with her elbows and arms. Okay, why am I acting so weird when it’s only a compliment? “We should eat something before we go. My stomach feels empty. Yours?”
He said nothing. He only leaned in, his eyes focused on her legs.
This is ridiculous. She shifted in her seat and lifted her chin. “James?”
He snapped awake and blinked. “Hmmm?”
No one had gazed at her like that in a long time. Her stomach fluttered. “Are you hungry?”
“Very.” His eyes wandered over her breasts. He jolted, squared his shoulders, and inhaled a long stream of air through his nostrils. “We should get something to eat, yeah.”
Did he enjoy watching her? She tried to concentrate on food. “I wonder if anywhere in town is serving breakfast at this hour though.”
“Too bad the luxurious buffet isn’t open.” The corner of his mouth stretched into a mischievous smile.
She lifted her chin. “I like the food here,” she remarked. “It’s more than these people eat in a week.”
He straightened in his chair. “True. And it was tasty. You’ve proved me wrong on many an occasion. That’s why I like you, Lexi. You’re always bringing home the realities of life.”
She swallowed and rubbed her cheek. “You’ll like me more after you hear the reality of that gold jingling around in your pocket.”
He lifted and eyebrow and pursed his lips. “I will. I’ll be all over you then.”
He’s laying it on thick. He probably says that slush to all the girls. She stood up and tried to avoid pulling the khaki shorts out of her ass. Far cry from an evening dress, but at least she hadn’t donned her dirty, ripped pants a third day in a row. Maybe that was why they hadn’t given her the boat. She looked too poor. Whatever. James is here. He got the boat. She relaxed her shoulders. So far he wasn’t even screwing things up.
He held the door open for her.
The warm morning air hit her face. “It’s hot.”
“Not as hot as it’ll be on that boat,” he commented.
They walked to the market.
A vendor in the corner rolled out an awning. Another threw a bucket of ice in a cooler.
They circled the outdoor aisles. She gripped her grumbling belly. “No one’s open. Too early for food.”
He stopped and sighed. “Can you wait?”
“We should go back so we can look for something to eat,” she suggested, slowing her pace.
He glanced at his watch. “We’re running out of time. It’s 6 o’clock.”
“I know, but I’m starved. I thought there’d be breakfast at the hotel.”
He smiled, lifting an eyebrow. “There wasn’t.”
She rubbed her belly and felt her head sinking.
He scratched his head. “What did you bring to eat?”
Her lips flattened. We’re not even on the island yet, and I’m already digging into the supplies. “Crackers. But I don’t want to eat those yet.”
/> He stopped walking. “Eat.”
His genuine concern for her was sweet and he was right. No use in getting started on an empty stomach. She yanked her bag off her shoulder and rummaged for the thin wafers. She ripped the red and white package open and gave it to him.
He lifted his palms up. “I’m good. You take mine.”
Her chest expanded as a warmth spread. Why was he sacrificing his own hunger for her? Had she pegged him wrong? It wasn’t as if she was a damsel in distress. She would have survived, but… he did come. And he did offer his share of crackers. She took a cracker out of the pack and flipped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes and chewed. Why the heck was she so hungry? She fidgeted with the package, then took a couple more crackers and put them away. “We should get going.”
He smiled with the corner of his mouth as he watched her. “Ah yes.”
She didn’t mind his constant watching, because sometimes it was flattering. But would he be able to focus on the prize? Neither she, nor James knew the route to the island. She stretched her neck in an effort to stabilize her nerves. “Which one’s the boat?”
He pointed to a blue and white vessel that sat roped to the dock.
Her stomached rolled. It was one she had inquired about a couple days ago. Would the owner recognize her? She pressed her cap lower onto her head and tucked her pony-tail underneath. “Great.” She followed James down the wooden boards on to the landing.
The fisherman lifted his chin and stood still when he saw them approaching. He shifted feet, then marched to the boat.
They waited.
He returned, straight-faced. “No women on board.”
A lump appeared in her throat.
James narrowed his eyes on to the man, challenging him. “Why?”
The man said nothing. He picked up a bucket and walked back inside.
Lexi gnawed on her cheek as hot steam rose to her ears. She controlled her mouth from spewing swear words at the old fisherman. It was best to keep quiet and let James duke it out. An ounce of attitude was the last thing an old-fashioned captain would want to hear. She tightened her lips and let James do the talking.
James collapsed his arms by his side. “I’ll give you a thousand more. Take us to the island, bring us back, money’s yours.”
The man came back out, glaring at Lexi. He then turned his focus to James and held out his hand. “Deal.”
They shook hands while Lexi looked away. You’re not getting my hand even if you wanted it.
James removed several notes from his wallet and hesitated before he gave them to the fisherman. It looked like a heck of a lot more than a thousand dollars. “What’s your name?”
He met his eye and pulled back his shoulders. “They call me Bernardo.”
James handed him the money. The man placed the money in his pocket.
“I’m James and this is Lexi.”
He said nothing as he turned and stepped aboard.
James took Lexi’s hand and led her on to the boat.
The man busied himself at the bow with a rope and axle.
“Thank you,” she yelled out toward him. James carved out a seat for her amid several crates, buckets, and coolers.
The fisherman backed out of the space and motored out of the harbor.
Lexi inhaled the fresh air.
James kept his eye on her while they were out at sea.
Why was he being so nice? He was too generous. Was it the gold? Surely, he didn’t expect her to fall for his random acts of kindness. Did he think she was as dumb and naïve as the others? Could they not see he only wanted a quick romp in bed? Would she miss the warning signs?
“Don’t worry about Bernardo. He doesn’t want to draw attention to thugs and criminals who are always attracted to women. To them, it’s a sign of weakness and that’s why they prey on couples. Can you blame the guy?”
She scratched her temple and looked at the old fisherman.
He steered the boat and checked all sides.
It made sense. Most men in her field considered her the weaker of the two sexes. That was until they saw her value and the first sparkle of gold. Problem was, she was left with too little cash after everybody got their cut. It was barely enough to pay bills.
She didn’t care what men thought about her, anyway. She didn’t exist to serve any man. There were far more important tasks to accomplish. Even James was only there to help her achieve the ultimate prize. It was all about the coins sitting in the lava tube on Strife Island.
She said nothing. What was the point? Men came with their set beliefs and it would take a lot of convincing to change them.
“You are very cute though,” he murmured from the corner of his mouth.
The sun hit his freckled nose just right. His blond hair looked even lighter in the brightness. She leaned forward as her lips parted. Her core became uncontrollably aroused. Her breath released shallow pants as her eyes traveled to the shape of his bulky chest. She studied the well-chiseled curvature and wondered what he felt like underneath his slim-fitting shirt. She relaxed and stretched her neck, then ripped her gaze away. “James, I appreciate your sweet-talking, but both you and I know you have a girlfriend. And besides that I—”
He interrupted. “Do I?”
She tightened her lips and tried to evade a smile that rose to her lips. “How do you not have a girlfriend?”
He fished in his pocket for his phone and flipped through pages on the screen. He nodded once and handed the phone to her. “We broke up. Here. Ask her.”
She turned one side of her mouth downward. Like I’m really gonna call some girl and ask her that ridiculous question. “Ha. That’s funny.”
“No really. I want you to hear her say, ‘James is unattached’,” he mocked in a high female voice.
She dropped her hands in her lap and laughed. “Who talks like that?”
He chuckled and threw his palms in the air. “Who doesn’t talk like that?” He quizzed, raising an eyebrow.
He was irresistible. She caught herself chuckling and closed her eyes. The gold, Lexi. That’s why you’re here. That shiny pot of gold. James could have women eating out of the palm of his hand whenever he wanted. If he didn’t have a girlfriend, it was because he didn’t want one. Was he a one-night-stand kind of guy?
“Hey!” Bernardo pointed out to sea from the bow.
James ran to the front and clung to the railing.
Another boat about the same size sped behind them on the horizon. Mist surrounded the boat, its captain a blur. Whoever it was, they were fast gaining traction.
“They follow us,” the fisherman warned from the side of his mouth.
Lexi’s heart beat faster. This can’t be good. “Who are they?”
“Well, they’re not tourists,” James reasoned. He squinted an eye onto the boat. “They’re following too close.”
She swallowed. They should have paid better attention. “You’re right. They’re not out for leisure. They look downright fierce.”
James walked to the other side of the boat and came back with a pair of binoculars. He looked through the lens. “Can’t see good enough.”
The fisherman slowed the boat and reached for the binoculars.
James widened his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t slow the boat. Make it go faster.”
Bernardo shook his head and stiffened his grip around the wheel.
Why was he being so difficult? It wasn’t the time for power games. Yes, it’s your boat, Bernardo. Make it go faster. Her mind scrambled into a panic. “Can I see?”
James handed her the binoculars.
There was no movement on board the other vessel. She pushed her thick pony-tail back and passed the binoculars back to James. “How are they driving the boat without crew?” Her chest tightened. What is it he’s not telling me? Heat raged through her veins. “Who did you tell we were coming out here?” She interrogated him, pressing for a response.
James dropped his arms and leaned in to her. “Wha
t? You think I planned for us to get followed?”
She bit her lip. “How did they know then?”
The fisherman squinted one eye at her. “Know what?”
Maybe she had gone too far in blaming James for the mess. And now the fisherman was suspicious. She drew in a breath and opened her mouth.
James interjected with a fast answer. “Know that we’re carrying the cash. The… cash we gave you for the boat,” he blurted. “They must have seen us with the money on the dock.”
The fisherman rubbed the hairs on his chin. “And you still want me to bring you to Strife?”
James tightened his lips. “We are going to that island, but we need to think fast so we can lose these guys.”
Lexi faced Bernardo and swallowed. “Do you know who they are?”
“Haiti underworld,” he answered. “Pirates.”
She gasped. Her skin prickled as a shiver enveloped her body. Pirates? No. No way. Not now. “What do they want? No. How did they find us?” They were dumb questions, but she asked them, regardless. How could they have known they were hunting the gold?
James rocked his head back. “They must’ve seen me getting the cash out of the bank. I thought I was careful, but maybe I wasn’t.”
I should’ve known not to rely on him. He’s so damn oblivious to the rest of the world’s hunger for money. He was probably whistling all the way from the bank.
“We picked them up from the coast. Pirates don’t need to see cash. They see a white man and that says everything.” He curled his upper lip. “They don’t know mercy.”
Lexi’s heart thudded hard inside her chest. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to come out here. She paced back and forth along the side deck. Please don’t tell me it’s going to be like the Seattle job. “Make this boat go faster. We need to shake them.”
The fisherman said nothing.
Her body temperature grew hot as she gnawed at her inner cheek. “Those bastards.”
James stopped and furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”
Her chest tightened. “They’re always after what I have.” Lexi sauntered away. I’d love to kick old Bernardo off the boat and hit the throttle. No. That would be homicide.